Firstly, can I say I feel it’s an honour and privilege to be the new Chairman of the Association, a responsibility I don’t take lightly. I have clear ideas on what I believe is required within this role and I look forward to working with the membership to reinvigorate this Association after the recent General Election loss.
My background is that I’m a local man, bought up in Ellesmere, North Shropshire, son of a local businessman in the Agricultural sector. Probably my first memory of politics is my parents hosting a Cheese & Wine evening at home for the North Shropshire Association and everyone been very excited that our local MP and Government Minister at the time John Biffen was in attendance. I do remember him looking exhausted when he arrived though, straight from London.
My wife is Cheryl, daughter of another local businessman in the Agricultural sector and we have two daughters in their late twenties, one living in Berlin, Germany and the other in Sydney, Australia for a couple of years. We live in a small village just on the outskirts of Shrewsbury and have a couple of dogs as pets, a Labrador and Spaniel.
Like my father I started my career in Agriculture attending The Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester before like my daughter travelling to Australia for a year or two. On my return I decided my future did not lie in Agricultural so headed off to London where all my pals were. While in London I got into the telecoms sector, eventually working for Mercury Communications (part of Cable & Wireless) in Birmingham as Corporate Account Manager and then Regional Sales Manager. In my early 30’s I decided to follow my desire and left to start my own business in telecoms, based in Telford. This business, Connexis Limited has now been trading successfully for 27 years with many prestigious local companies as customers. And only a couple of weeks ago we won Company of the Year at the Shropshire Apprenticeship awards, something I’m very proud of. So business and local business is within my DNA.
I have many varied hobbies, including skiing, cycling, mountaineering, walking, following sport specifically Cricket and Rugby, and have recently taken up Golf.
Politics has always been an interest of mine, throughout my life. Although I only relatively recently became engaged with the local Association. If you were to ask me my political stance I would say centre right, not right wing.
William
Rowland